Brian Stann: “I can knock Chael Sonnen out with any punch.”

Brian Stann has never been known as a trash-talker. A decorated Marine who is generally seen as one of MMA’s most respectful, highest-character athletes, the 31-year old middleweight rarely, if ever, has anything negative to say about his opponents.

Stann has stayed true to form during the build towards this weekend’s match-up at UFC 136 with Chael Sonnen, often mentioning Sonnen’s outstanding technique and overall tenacity as a competitor. However, when asked recently about how his striking stacks up against Sonnen’s, the 11-3 Stann offered a frank assessment that in some circles might be seen as atypical of his normal behavior and viewed by others as another example of him genuinely voicing something be believes in his heart.

“I feel that I’ll be the best prepared fighter he’s fought in quite some time,” Stann explained in an interview with the UFC’s website after stating he felt Sonnen had never actually lost a round other than those he’d been finished in. “I have gone into very uncomfortable positions, I’ve brought in the people I needed to bring in to learn how to compete in certain areas that he may try and put me in. And there’s the obvious biggest difference as well, in that I can knock Sonnen out with any punch.”

Stann Unafraid of What Sonnen Has to Offer

“If you watch my last two fights, I feel I have some of the best handspeed in the middleweight division, and I’m a lot stronger than those guys, physically stronger, so he’s gonna have to really work to get me to the mat and he’s gonna have to work the entire time to keep me on the mat,” the Jackson’s MMA team-member continued. “I’m not gonna lay there, close my guard and just hug him, hoping the ref is gonna stand us up. And I believe I can hit him harder from my back then he can hit me on top. And I’ll put my money where my mouth is on that.”

Regardless of outcome, Stann appears content with simply having an opportunity to test himself against someone with Sonnen’s reputation and accomplishments, saying he didn’t even expect to draw an adversary of his ilk for another year.

“The best part is, I’ve got nothing to lose. I’m the underdog coming into this fight and there’s zero pressure on me. I can fight a hundred miles an hour; he’s got to be concerned with the amount of pressure he’s put on himself. He’s the older fighter, he’s got to get back to a title fight…I feel a lot of these things are going to play into my favor and I know I’m gonna go out there and surprise a lot of people.”

Fans can tune in to see Stann and Sonnen battle it out on the main card of UFC 136 starting at 9:00 PM EST.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC / VIDEO CREDIT – HEAVYMMA